UCF Knights vs Arizona Wildcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/11/25

Looking to win big? The Knights and Wildcats face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN. The Wildcats are hosting the game at McKale Center in Tucson, AZ. The over/under for this game is set at 156.5 points, and Arizona is favored by -13.5 vs. UCF in a Big 12 conference matchup.

UCF KNIGHTS VS ARIZONA WILDCATS BETTING PICK

The Pick: UCF Knights +13.5

This game will be played at McKale Center at 10:00 ET on Saturday, January 11th.

WHY BET THE UCF KNIGHTS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Wildcats.
• Even though we have Arizona winning straight-up, we like UCF at +13.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 156.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Will the Knights Make it Happen on the Road?

UCF improved to 11-3 on the season with a narrow 75-74 win over Colorado on Wednesday. The Knights were -6.5 favorites going into the game, but they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 149, just over the O/U line of 148.5.

UCF trailed 37-34 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring Colorado 41-37 to secure the win at home.

UCF’s offense put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 39.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 48.2%. They connected on 35.7% of their three-point attempts, hitting 10 of 28 from deep, while making 42.9% of their two-point shots. At the free-throw line, the Knights went 21 for 28, good for 75%.

Julian Hammond III led the way with 26 points and 5 assists, shooting 57.1% overall and 50% from three. Jordan Ivy-Curry added 22 points, hitting 4 of 10 from beyond the arc. Andrej Jakimovski was efficient, making 4 of 5 threes and shooting 66.7% overall, finishing with 16 points.

UCF gave up 74 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 39% from the field. They allowed 12 two-point baskets on 28 attempts, a 42% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, the opposition hit 10 of 28 threes, shooting 35%. UCF also sent them to the line 28 times, where they made 21 free throws, a 75% success rate. UCF allowed 9 offensive rebounds.

Pressure Builds for Arizona as Home Favorites

Arizona improved to 9-5 on the season with a 75-56 win over West Virginia on Tuesday. The Wildcats, who were favored by 4 points, covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game were 131, falling short of the 143.5 O/U line.

Arizona led 39-28 at halftime and continued their strong play in the second half, outscoring the Mountaineers 36-28 to secure the win.

Arizona put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 50.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.7%. They hit 58.5% of their two-point attempts and 35% from beyond the arc, making 7 of 20 three-point tries.

KJ Lewis led the way with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, adding 4 assists. Javon Small contributed 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, though he shot just 35.3% from the field, hitting 3 of 9 from deep.

Arizona’s defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 56 points on 36% shooting from the field. They limited two-point opportunities, with the other team making 13 of 29 attempts, good for 44%.

From beyond the arc, Arizona’s defense held strong, allowing just 8 threes on 29 attempts, a 27% shooting performance. They sent their opponent to the line 8 times, where they made 6 free throws.